I had a little dog pop his eye out by "nosing" a door open. I had to take him down to the vet right away with his head wrapped in a towel. The vet poped it back in and bandaged his eye shut for a week and then he was fine. Never poped it out again, and seemed to see fine out of that eye. (although I think he had trouble when he was reading)

People often tell me that I fail to see the gravity of the situation. I see the gravity, and I say...Step right up folks and watch me defy gravity!

The street argument is retarded. BJJ is so much overkill for the street that its ridiculous. Unless you're the idiot that picks a fight with the high school wrestling team, barring knife or gun play, the opponent shouldn't make it past double leg + ground and pound - Osiris

Still there are people that say that sucessfullly poking someone in the eye won't cause much damage or won't stop a trained fighter.

Do you really think this is evidence that an eyepoke will stop a trained fighter? Against a well-trained figher, such a poke might be a slight distraction. Sure, he might lose his sight in that eye, but a little poke like that probably wouldn't end the fight.

1) I don't recall there being much debate about how effective eye gouges are, I think most of the debate surround how impractical they are because its damn hard to land them against a resisting opponent. Notice that in neither of the examples given in this thread was anyone actually trying to gouge (or defend against a gouge).

2) I think whether or not it would stop a person depends on the situation. If I think you're trying to kill me, then **** it, I'm ignoring the fact that my eye is out and I'll keep trying to pound your head into paste. If we're just sparring at the gym then I'll be tapping so fast it'll make your head spin.

"The shock received by the Kentuckyan, and the want of breath, brought him instantly to the ground. The Virginian never lost his hold; like those bats of the South who never quit the subject on which they fasten until they taste blood, he kept his knees in his enemy’s body; fixing his claws in his hair, and his thumbs on his eyes, gave them an instantaneous start from their sockets. The sufferer roared aloud, but uttered no complaint. The citizens again shouted with joy. Doubts were no longer entertained and bets of three to one were offered on the Virginian."

This is an article by historian Elliot Gorn on the "rough and tumble" or "gouge-fighting" style that was prevalent in the Sourthern US during the 1800s. Lots of accounts of fighters losing eyes (that was the main aim of the style).